Tag Archives: daguerreotype

…C’mon, it looks like him, doesn’t it? Will the Real Slim Shady, ESQ please stand up? It also sounds like an Agatha Christie mystery. “The Physician and the Case of the Stack of Skulls”.

In all seriousness, this is a daguerreotype called Man with Skulls, ca. 1850, from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. I rather love it, but the screaming skull in the center is creeping me out a little. Does our mystery man have a special sense of humor?

I love surfing the internet and finding all sorts of WTFery. Case in point, this article about headless photography. It appears that as much as we adore Photoshopping Robert Downey Jr’s head onto cats (I shouldn’t have to tell you that it’s worth the click), the Victorians enjoyed their own sort of novelty illusions. Apparently, one could create such an effect through layering of multiple negatives or selective use of blocking or double exposure to create the desired effect. I have no idea why this seems to have been a popular thing to do, but holding ones own head in hand (or on a plate, or putting it on a baby or uh…) became something of an ancient meme.

I appreciate the Headless Horseman quality of this one from around 1875. Katherine and I would totally put this on our invites for our annual Halloween party.

This reminded me of this sketch from The Young Ones (please tell me that there are still those who remember the Young Ones!) where the headless ghosts come round (serious hilarity starts at the :30 mark).

This is some Children of the Corn business here. I might be legit freaked out by this one. The dead eyes on “Mom” and the neck bone are particularly choice.

Ultimately, this post is an excuse to celebrate Star Trek period, but thanks to some clever work by deviantArtist Rabittooth, we can do it Victorian-style. These images made the rounds of the Internet earlier this year but seeing as Katherine and I got to enjoy Star Trek Into Benedict Cumberbatch this weekend, it seemed more than appropriate to show them off again. The dear Captain above is dashing as always.

Logical that he’d be a scientist.

Bones, you always bring the sexual healing.

“I CANNA HOLD HER TOGETHER CAP’N! I DINNA HAVE THE STEAMPOWER!11”

Uhura looks especially lovely, as always. Badass to the nth degree.

I now want a short 30 second movie of Chekov and Sulu attempting to ride these bikes. License to print money. You’re welcome, Paramount.

Haven’t heard of Mr. Cornelius, have you? I hadn’t either until I found this photo on Pinterest.

This photo, a quarter plate daguerreotype from 1839, came from this website, and supposedly it is the “first light picture and portrait ever taken.” I have to say, nice choice for subject of the first portrait! I think this guy is a total cutie, plus, he was the inventor of this early-photographic process. Looks and brains – I dig it. And now I know where Robert Pattinson gets his hair styling tips.